Whispers in the dark
by Alexie Barnaby
Summary: Lance refuses Steven's love fearing that a relationships could wound the Steel trainer. Will he really be the one to be wounded? Yaoi Neochampionshipping eventual Honorshipping Lance POV


I see him approaching, a smile painted on his lips, that smile that I know, it's just for me. I've never seen him wearing it with anyone else and he's rather cute with that.

I don't know since when I've been falling like this for him, and don't know why neither. He's a little younger than me, and far more inexperienced, even if he's a champion he still has such a long road to go.

I took him under my protective wings, trying to teach him what being a champion means, and he seems to be learning fast, the bound with his pokèmon is as strong as steel, It's rare to see someone working together that well.

He has a crush on me as well, and does nothing to hide it.

He approaches with a plate half filled with some kinds of nibbles and offers them to me, I decline, I'm not hungry after all.

"You haven't touched anything from the beginning of the evening" the flush on his cheeks and the gentle curve of his lips shut the protests of my stomach and make me accept the offered food; we share it and eat in relative silence, before two voices from the room makes us start.

Seems like Karen and Glacia are having a fight. I'm not sure on who began the discussion, but I can bet my brand new cape that it all started with some pointless discussion about clothes, boys or hair. And now the hell is coming out. We all know girls are good to pull everyone into their personal fights.

I stare at the scene, more pissed than stunned. A battle between two Exploud using screech is more silent.

I feel a light pull on my sleeve, he's here, cheeks shaded in a bright pink, looking at me with an expression between shame and hope "I suggest we go for a walk, it's getting too noisy for my tastes here" I agree, the idea isn't too bad after all, but I know there's more behind this request, I can tell it as soon as we reach Lake of Rage's shores. He lies down on the smooth grass, the moonlight giving his silver hair a particular glimmering, he pats on the ground, asking me to sit down too. It's not getting well.

We stare at the surface of the lake forming weak waves for some moments, silent.

A Gyarados jumps out of the water making a perfect circle in the air before sinking again into the waves.

I hear him sighing and then he leans to me, one arm on the back on my waist, the other resting on my chest. I'm petrified, I don't know what to do. Deciding that a simple hug wouldn't hurt, I lean a hand on his shoulder, the jacket he's wearing is so thin, and the shirt underneath is almost inexistent, he's shivering.

"You should wear heavier clothes, Steven, you're shivering" and I circle my cape around him.

"I could wear thick layers of wool, I would be shivering the same…" I stare at his widened eyes, shimmering like diamonds, I can tell he's about to cry.

"Lance, I…I…."

No, his shivers aren't due to the coolness of the wind.

"Yes?" He bites his lip nervously, then reaches up and presses his lips with mine. I'm not ready for this outburst of emotion, and instead of returning the gesture, I pull away.

Disappointment is readable all over his face, red for the shame. A tear makes its way down the cheek as he turns his face and escapes the embrace "You, don't feel anything, right?" he asks with an enraged bitterness.

False. I have to fight hard, emotions are killing me.

"No Steven, I don't have special feelings for you….I'm sorry"

He stands up trembling, now his face is covered in tears "Well, then don't. I should have imaged…" he walks away, it's painful to see him in this estate. I do as to follow but he stops me, enraged "Leave me alone! They told me you were colder than a Dewgong, I should have listened!" and he leaves. I stay in the darkness, I want to slap my face over and over until I swallow my teeth one by one.

I wounded him, but I had to. Being the master of the dragons there are duties I have to respect.

With the years, I grew haters all over the world, and I'm sure they wouldn't be afraid to hurt someone close to me as Steven wants to be.

I let him go because I love him.

* * *

"You are an idiot, aren't you?" Aaron's accusing voice raises from behind my back, that little guy is something terrible when it comes to feelings. I keep on feeding the Dratini, pretending not to notice him "I knew you were emotionally constipated, but this is too much! That poor guy was bleeding pain!"

I answer in my usual emotionless voice "You know I did it to protect him"

"He is Hoenn Champion, has a Metagross that makes people faint just when it comes out of the pokeball! Why do you have to be such a prick?"

"We were at a party, he could have been tipsy"

I hear the sound of a facepalm from behind my back "Tipsy? With orange and strawberry juice? Lance, you're as smart as Rattata! Look at Red and Green, they're in the same position and they don't fucking care!"

I hate when he makes comparisons with other people, it's pointless for me. Everyone has a different story behind.

"Take Cynthia and Volkner! Isn't it worse? But they are happy together, you're pissing in the plate you're eating in. You can't live the whole life without a lover!"

Now I am enraged, he should stop thinking for me "Don't you have to train your Drapion or something?" Aaron raises is hands in defeat "Alright, you're not in the mood for reasoning. Just one thing, though: seize the opportunity now, or you will regret it"

With that, my conscience leaves. Fuck Aaron.

I can't keep my mind away from those disappointed eyes, the pain written all along that graceful body. All of sudden, I don't feel like keeping on feeding the pokemon anymore, my legs are heavy and my eyelids can't stay open. I call for Kristal, who politely accepts to carry the task on instead of me.

I don't know what time it is. I should have been in bed for more than five hours, I could feel the temperature change.

My telephone rings, and with a sigh I force myself out of the bed and go to answer, surely Bruno broke another window in the Indigo Plateau and now it's me that have to deal with the bill.

"Lance here"

/"Lance, I'm agent Jenny, come along to Violet City, seems that Team Rocket has assaulted the gym and stole all the flying pokemon…"/

"Any wounded people?"

/"Yes, but nothing too much serious"/

"I'm coming"

Damn it. I can imagine how enraged now Falkner is. I'm just surprised he hasn't killed all the burglars as he discovered them.

The trip from Balckthorn to Violet takes me nothing more than five minutes, all I miss today is to face an enraged Falkner ready to bite for the injustice taken.

I approach the gym, police is already there, Jenny is taking notices in front of an almost destroyed cage; agents let me go inspect myself "Did they use Koffing?" Jenny pauses from her task to look at me "Yes. According to the local people they used teleport to escape"

"Where's Falkner?" she points to the little room near the toilets, which I assume is the small common room trainers usually use as a relaxing place.

I knock on the door, but the voice that answers me isn't Falkner's. I get in to find him sobbing on Morty's chest.

Since when Morty cares about bird pokemon?

Falkner forces himself to smile as I greet him, Morty is ruffling his hair, their bond becomes obvious to my eyes as I the blonde presses his lips against the other's forehead.

I feel out of place, this isn't exactly the reaction I was expecting.

Before I can speak, Morty glares at me, strange for one who always grins. He states, almost growling "Before you ask, I'm not leaving. I don't give a fuck if you're the Dragon Master, right?" I nod, almost scared by this side of the ghost trainer I have never seen, he tightens his grip around the sobbing Falkner.

"If you're not okay, I can come later"

Falkner clears his voice through the sobs "No, it's fine. The faster we move the sooner we get them"

I notice he's holding his forearm "Did they hurt you?"

"They attacked me from the back, hitting me. I was so sore I could do nothing. They used Koffing to force the cages open, and some of them where holding sacks they put the pokemon in…if they hurt them…." Morty gives him a shrug on the shoulder and whispers something in his hear.

I'm stunned by the vision in front of me, what my eyes see are two different people, yet they're acting like they're a only being, Morty supporting Falkner as he was about to fall. Is this what is happening in me? Do I feel broken because Steven is too?

Taken by my thoughts I almost miss the moment when Falkner talks again "I was wounded, but I heard one of them talking about an hideout somewhere in Whirl Islands, and that they were planning to blown them all…that's what I heard before I blacked out.." he explodes in sobs again, and Morty looks towards me impatiently "Are we done?" he says trying to sound normal, but the hint of bother in his voice is louder than he thinks.

I apologize and go away, understanding their urges.

The scene I just seen left me a kinda of emptiness inside, fuck it, Aaron was right! I'm starting to regret my stupid decision. But my mind shifts immediately to the tiny figure of the wounded Falkner, and no, I'd die for seeing Steven in such an estate. My heart aches at the only thought.

* * *

A chill behind my neck, with disappointment I notice the weather is gonna be rainy, plus it's getting dark: perfect end for such a creepy day! I just miss a tornado and then there's the cherry on the cake!

Whirl Islands seem deserted, I have to be careful, only Raikou knows what the hell those devils have in their minds.

Taking a step inside, I can clearly hear some noises of machinery, but have no idea ion where it is, it looks like there's only solid rock around me.

There's a path of scattered feathers, this must be the direction they brought the stolen pokemon to.

The line of feathers stops in front of a rocky wall, I pat all around the surface to see if there are any switches hidden.

I come to a rather strange stalagmite, carefully pulling it, a crack of the wall opens with a "Clack".

Inside there are several machineries, which are supposed to be ignition of the bombs, but what are the bird pokemon needed for?

Taking a steps in the middle of the electronic equipment, I see no traces of grunts. Odd, too odd. Team rocket is known for protecting their hideouts, and they eave machinery without guardians?

"Stop there!" a voice comes behind me, and I am face to face with Ariana, her Houndoom growling at me.

I let Dragonite out "You'll regret your attack to Violet: Dragonite use Hyper Be…"

"Stop, stop, stop. Don't you hurry mister Dragon. The place is full of dynamite, do you really want to make it all blown up for your stupid knight complex?" her evil laughter is one of the most irritating sounds I could ever hear.

"Let the pokemon free!"

"No way! Those little creatures are essential to us. They can carry out precious stones for us. Are you really so stupid you never realized which kind of treasures are hidden here?"

I know, everybody knows of course, but as the cave is a place of respect for the Legendary Lugia, touching the gems is such a blasphemy "You don't deserve the rights for touch those stones! Lugia will punish all of you bastards!"

That evil laughter again "Seems that you are smarter than I thought dear Lance, this is the second aim, when the _King of the Seas_ will show up, we'll capture it. Sounds like a perfect plan, doesn't it?"

"You son of…" I make as to move, but I'm stopped by a piercing pain on the back. Blood, fear, cold.

* * *

I wake up in a cellar, somewhere lost in the caves, my wrists are handcuffed, and I wear nothing but my boxers, at least. I can't move, my back aches like hell, and I have several cuts and bruises all over my already scarred body.

Two grunts outside are staring and laughing at me "Hey Mr. Dragon, what's wrong with you? Aren't you in the mood for some more threatening?" the girl teased

"You will regret it! You ugly bastards!" the boy kneels down with a mean smirk on his lips "Well, we're not on the ground bleeding and handcuffed!" I want to react, but the best I can do is spitting him in the face. My reaction causes an outburst of rage, as he enters the cellar and kicks me in the mouth "Don't you dare doing it again piece of motherfucking shit!"

Pain. I can't think straight, I am alone. I chose to be alone. As long as I don't want such this thing happening to Steven, I couldn't keep my mind away of the thought of comforting touches and words of his.

I hear an explosion, is this his voice? I must be going crazy. It's impossible.

Screams everywhere, hits, shots, cries.

Maybe I am about to die, the Islands must be exploding, swallowing me in a lonely violent death.

I must be passing out, as I feel the touch of an angel lifting me up and bring me straight to Heaven. Or Hell, the whole thing doesn't matter. I deserved it. I close my eyes, ready to fall into the oblivion.

* * *

A welcoming white light wakes me up. Am I in Heaven? Everything is white all around me. What did I do good enough to reserve me a place here? I must be burning in Hell instead.

"Lance! Thanks to Groudon you're awake!" I start and turn in the direction of the familiar voice to face Steven.

Steven?

His cheeks are still damp, hair fuzzy. The knot on his tie is undone as it hangs more on a shoulder than the other. The rings and steel armbands are gone.

He hugs me, being aware of not hurting me.

"What happened?" I manage to say as soon as I find my voice back.

He reaches my hand and takes it in his, stroking my knuckles with his thumb.

"Those assholes were about to make the Whirl Islands blow up, with you inside. I came just in time to avoid it." He sighs "When I heard from Aaron you went to the Whirl Islands all alone, I was worried. You know my passion for stones, thanks to it, no cave is a mystery to me. When you didn't come back, I come to reach you, Aaron and Will came with me to help out." He sighs again, this time on the point to cry "When I saw you like that, I couldn't hold myself back."

"But…the executive said the island was full of dynamite.."

"Metagross is used with that. He knows how to move with such those presences"

I squeeze his hand in mine. Here it comes, the smile and the blush on his cheeks.

"I must go, you seem to be ok now" he says standing up from his chair, but I tighten the grip on his hand "No Steven, I'm not okay…"

"Do you need some water or…" he asks a bit disappointed.

I need to act, it's now or never, I don't want to repeat the same mistake the second time, as I won't be able to turn back "My pillow.." I whisper.

He lowers and grabs both sides of the pillow, and now I act: grabbing his shirt collar I push our foreheads together, his eyes wide in surprise, shimmering.

"I'm sorry, two nights ago I acted like an asshole…"

His smile turns into a grin as he closes his eyes and presses his lips on mine. I feel the pain on my wounds flowing away as our tongues meet and melt together.

When the kiss breaks, our foreheads are still pressed together "Settled that you did it just to protect me, I can pass over. But next time, just ask for help when you go to such Kamikaze missions"

"I'm sorry, I underestimated you…" he chuckles in my lips "To be honest, I wasn't aware of my power neither, but…it happens that I get really pissed when someone touch what and who I love"

With that, he pecks my lips once again.

* * *

**Author's note**: This was meant to be a songfic for Skillet's song _Whisper in the dark_, I take the lyrics away, as I seen that they didn't entirely fit the content of the story. Hope you liked it 3


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